Saturday

Wasn't yesterday lovely - weather-wise, I mean, not necessarily in other ways.  Wall to wall sunshine pretty well and warm but not too warm with a refreshing breeze.  Today it is way, way too early to tell how the day will be (I had another early wake today) but it's dry and BBC weather tells me it should be sunny this morning and then there should be rain showers this afternoon.  I had better get the washing sorted this morning then, hadn't I?

I spent some time in the garden which was nice.  I have now potted on the remaining tomato plants and they are in their forever pot and their forever place.  I'm not sure about these tomatoes.  I don't even know what they are called.  Dad got the seeds: they were a special offer, supposedly new and feedback would be appreciated after the season is over so he paid his 10p or whatever it was and started them off.   They are supposed to be bush tomatoes but they are very weak and spindly looking so who knows.  Fingers crossed.

The strawberries just keep on coming.  I did three pickings yesterday, a good handful each time and am making more jam with some of them.  I think I will also freeze some of them.  I'm finding that regular picking gets to them before the slugs and, more of an issue, the little wood lice.  I started the jam off yesterday, macerating the berries in jam sugar for some hours and then adding lemon juice and slowly heating the whole thing until the sugar was all dissolved.  I then took it off the heat and will finish it off early this morning.  Two reasons for doing that.  The first is that by that time I was tired and I reckon playing with boiling sugar isn't a very good idea when you're tired and the second is that my experience tells me that for some reason it is easier to get a good set if the mix has been standing for a while.  I have no science for this, it is just experience!

Anyway, in a couple of hours I should have some lovely fresh jam which will be part of what I take to the governors' training session.  I hope that, with scones and whipped cream, it should go down very well.

Back to the garden; I popped some fuchsias in the little bed at the front so they should fill up a gap nicely when they settle.  I used to have a perennial wallflower in that gap but over time they do get very woody and lanky so out it came.  I didn't fill the gap last year because I knew I was having part of the front paved but this year I got some hardy fuchsia plugs when I ordered something else so  they're now in and I am hoping that they will provide green and colour at the front for years to come.

Sonja isn't coming after all so I have another free day  A bit of baking, maybe, and the kitchen certainly needs a sort out and so does, surprise, surprise, my bedroom.  One of these days . . .
Also I must sort out some untidy corners in the garden.  It won't take long, it's just a matter of finding the motivation.  I might sit out there for a time, sneezes and weather permitting . . .

Today's food:
B:  Muesli, fresh fruit and natural yogurt
L:  Chicken salad.  Yogurt with strawberries
D:  Chicken and vegetable rice, side salad, more strawberries!

I did enjoy yesterday's dinner.  Contrary to the usual nowadays, it was all from the freezer and bought, not made.  A small cod in batter (and it was pretty small, perfect size for me), eight oven wedges (yes, I counted them out and, while they didn't look much, they were enough) and some peas.  That, with a dollop of mayo made a very tasty and satisfying meal.  It's back on the cooking from scratch thing today but it's nice to take a break from time to time.

Better go and get some coffee, I suppose, and then get going.  No point in wasting the time, is there?  Have a great day!